Learn ESL idioms, phrasal verbs and more advanced vocabulary with this short story about Larry, the world's biggest loser!

The Mr Vocab Podcast

Larry The Loser

1. 떡볶이가 맵지만 맛있어요. 
2. 피곤하지만 운동하고 싶어요 
3. 이 가방은 작지만 비싸요. 
4. 슬프지만 안 울었어요 
5. 많이 공부했지만 모르겠어요. 

[Translation] 
1. tteokbokki is spicy but tasty. 
2. I’m tired but I want to work out.  
3. This bag is small but expensive.  
4. I was sad but I didn’t cry.  
5. I studied a lot, but (still) I don’t understand. 

Listening Practice

[2]V/A지만: however

自我介绍   
zì wǒ jiè shào 

你好，我叫玉洁   
nǐ hǎo ， wǒ jiào yù jié 
我住在中国的北方——山西省   
wǒ zhù zài zhōng guó de běi fāng —— shān xī shěng
我今年 28 岁了   
wǒ jīn nián 28 suì le
我喜欢听音乐，看书，还有运动     
wǒ xǐ huān tīng yīn yuè ， kàn shū ， hái yǒu yùn dòng
我也喜欢小动物，我有一只猫   
wǒ yě xǐ huān xiǎo dòng wù ， wǒ yǒu yī zhī māo
我的工作是中文老师，我也是一名律师
wǒ de gōng zuò shì zhōng wén lǎo shī ， wǒ yě shì yī míng lǜ shī 
很高兴认识你  
hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nǐ

日常中文（Daily Chinese）

Self-introduction  自我介绍

聊中西文化，也聊很多东西！
第九期，我们来聊一聊性格，你是一个内向还是外向的人呢？

聊聊东西 - Talk to Me in Chinese

009. 我是一个内向的人， 所以？I’m introverted, so... - ttmiChinese

LAYLA: Thanks for meeting with me during your lunch hour. I 
appreciate it.
MONICA: No problem. I’m happy to help. What’s going on?
LAYLA: Oh you know, the usual. Should I take this new job? Or do I 
stick with my current one?
MONICA: Well, I think it’s time for a change, don’t you? They pay you late 
and you are unhappy.
LAYLA: Do you really think so?
MONICA: I know so. And I’ve been listening to you complain for over a 
year now. Trust me. Take the job. What do you have to lose?



LANGUAGE NOTES
• In formal conversation, giving advice is often suggested through modals: ought to/ 
should / could / If I were you. In informal conversations people tend to use words such 
as I think that/ I feel that/ in my opinion.
• Listen for the emphasis on I know so and Trust me. These common phrases can be 
used to convey both positive and negative emotions. “I know so” conveys a deep belief 
or certainty. “To know” shows more certainty than “to think.”
• Notice the use of command forms: Take the job. /Trust me./ Go for it! The command 
form can be used to gently persuade someone

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day 30 (final) : Giving advice

Series: The Woman Behind the Words

Many women speak clearly in their own language —
but the moment English enters the room, something inside tightens.

Thoughts speed up.
The body contracts.
The voice becomes careful instead of alive.

This episode explores why this happens even to brilliant, experienced women —
and why the collapse is not about grammar, ability, or vocabulary.

It’s about the internal script that gets activated under pressure:
the fear of being judged,
the urge to sound “perfect,”
the pressure to perform instead of express.

You’ll hear why the voice loses presence in real moments,
what actually drives this reaction,
and how awareness alone begins to restore stability, clarity, and self-trust.

A gentle reflection inside the episode:

“Where do you abandon yourself the moment pressure rises —
and what would it feel like to stay with yourself instead?”

🌿 Mini-Exercise: “Reuniting the Two Voices”

Duration: 2 minutes — soft, no pressure

1. Close your eyes for one breath.
Notice how your body shifts when you think about speaking English.
Don’t fix. Just observe.

2. Ask yourself quietly:

“Who shows up when I speak English — the one who expresses, or the one who tries to survive?”

Let the answer arrive on its own.
Your nervous system will show you the truth faster than your mind.

3. Place one hand on your chest and whisper:

“Both versions of me are allowed to be here.”

This softens the internal split.

4. Now complete this sentence in your mind:

“When I speak English, the part of me that takes over is the part that wants to…”

(…be perfect, avoid judgment, stay safe, not bother anyone, sound smart — whatever is true for you.)

5. One final breath:
Let your shoulders drop 1%.
That 1% is where your real voice begins to return.

You can also explore this kind of work with me - book a private consultation with me on my profile. Hope to see you in a deep transformation soon!


“The Pro Behind the Words” - You don’t need new words. You need the REAL YOU who speaks them.

Episode 5 — “The Woman Who Stops Herself Mid-Sentence”

Expand your vocabulary!  This episode covers ten A level words:
Happy, big, beautiful, fast, old, cold, delicious, busy, friend, clean.

Vocabulary with Maryam (A LEVEL)

Episode 1

Hi, and welcome back to Captain Seasalt and the ABC Pirates with Teacher Alyse!
Today, we’re going on an adventure to learn words that start with the letter R. Are you ready? Listen carefully, repeat after me, and then try reading them on your own.
Rat, raisins, robin, roses, reindeer, rooster, rabbit, raccoon, raspberries, raven, rhinoceros, rattlesnake.
Great job!  Keep practicing, and if you’d like free flashcards to follow along, send me a message. You can also watch this Super Simple Songs Captain Seasalt video on YouTube to learn even more!
See you next time—bye for now!


Captain Sesalt & The ABC Pirates

Letter R

Hace unas semanas, en un audio-artículo de este blog escribí y hablé de la pérdida de fonemas conforme las lenguas se iban expandiendo por este planeta, obviamente al ritmo de la expansión humana. ¿Sí? Pues hoy en día, que no queda nada por ser descubierto por nuestros ojos y todo el mundo cabe en un dispositivo electrónico con conexión a Internet, el proceso de “simplificación” sigue su curso.